Lawyers say cramped Kyneton courthouse hampering cases

Lawyers say they have to meet their clients under trees or in their cars because of a lack of space and privacy at the historic Kyneton courthouse.

The building dates back to the late 1800s and lawyers say more space is badly needed so they can meet clients in private.

The Loddon Campaspe Community Legal Centre's Bonnie Renou says it is particularly difficult to manage family violence cases at Kyneton.

She says there are police and closed-circuit TV at the court but security remains a headache.

"We had one of our lawyers face a situation where she was trying to help a woman trying to get an intervention order and the perpetrator was there and didn't want the woman to have the help of a lawyer and was following the lawyer and the client around the court," she said.